New Delhi: With ex-servicemen protesting
over the one-rank one-pension issue, Government today said the
main aspects of the demand have already been addressed which
are benefiting around 12 lakh personnel.
"The main aspects have already been addressed
in-principle and there has been a substantial addressing of
the issue and I think 12 lakh personnel below officer rank
have benefitted because of these decisions," Minister of State
for Defence M M Pallam Raju said here.

Ex-servicemen have been demanding equal pension for
personnel retiring from the same rank irrespective of their
date of retirement. Persons retiring before the pay commission
cut-off date get lesser pension than those retiring after that
date.

Recently, while replying to a Parliamentary query, Raju
had stated that government had accepted several
recommendations of a Committee looking into the `one rank one
pension` demand to improve benefits of armed forces
pensioners.
Among the recommendations were revision of Lt Generals`
pension after carving out a separate pay scale for them and
bringing parity between pension of pre- and post-October 10,
1997 for pensioners of personnel below officer rank. Fifth Pay
Commission was implemented on that day.

He had said that around 12 lakh pensioners have
benefitted by the government`s decisions.